With respect, semi finals is four clubs, not every league fan in the country..... So it's a massive gamble, plus the timing of the semi to final is a few weeks..... Expensive for most people.

The final is two clubs. It gets more than any international in this country ever has. It's a poor argument.It's not a massive gamble. The fans are there. On top of that, if the event was planned correctly with enough time, you'd get a fair number of neutrals anyway.

I agree and understand, but this will happen due to season tickets and then people not willing to part with their hard earned cash... Play offs exactly the same.

So we need to create a better event that people want to go to, not just sit on our hands and say "well that's how it is now".

They're planned well ahead, why should they have a permanent home??

How on earth are they planned well ahead? The venue is announced a week after the quarters, and then you have a few weeks to buy tickets. Wembley tickets are sold all year. If you sold tickets to the final after the semis, you'd get about 40k at Wembley.

I've enjoy semis in Yorkshire, I've enjoyed them in Lancashire ( please don't split hairs) it nice to go to other grounds to see my team.

And there are 13 league games to give you that opportunity.

Surely going to the same ground every semi would get boring !!

Some of us aren't that lucky to go every year!Also, some of us prefer being able to plan our trips in advance. Some people like regularity. I think the semis would be a huge success if they were a double header in Sheffield or Manchester.

The main problem is that RL is now predictable and lop sided scorelines are expected. There is no momentum by SF stage and no chance of s surprise team. It will be the same old same old in the SFs. The game has become too one dimensional with too much emphasis on muscle rather than guile for a sport which still has a limited fully pro player pool. I'd love to see competitive scrums brought back, a smaller retreat line and less subs.

The final is two clubs. It gets more than any international in this country ever has. It's a poor argument.It's not a massive gamble. The fans are there. On top of that, if the event was planned correctly with enough time, you'd get a fair number of neutrals anyway.

So we need to create a better event that people want to go to, not just sit on our hands and say "well that's how it is now".

How on earth are they planned well ahead? The venue is announced a week after the quarters, and then you have a few weeks to buy tickets. Wembley tickets are sold all year. If you sold tickets to the final after the semis, you'd get about 40k at Wembley.

And there are 13 league games to give you that opportunity.

Some of us aren't that lucky to go every year!Also, some of us prefer being able to plan our trips in advance. Some people like regularity. I think the semis would be a huge success if they were a double header in Sheffield or Manchester.

some valid points made, the sad thing that is very true, International Rugby League doesn't pull in the BIG crowds and semis are dying.

Having a double header may only bring in a few extra thousand.

Selling tickets in advance for semis - other than the 4 teams, how many neutrals are actually bothered??

Don't bother with the scrum suggestion, look back on that website for evidence. I would drop the number of substitutions allowed to 8 and wouldn't mind a short 10m if we had an end to the wrestling fest ie a policed max x seconds after momentum stopped.

think im right the a semi between wigan and sains back in about 91 was played at old trafford in front of a big crowd so we dont have to go back to ancient history for decent crowds for the semis .since the advent of super league the grand final has taken over as the major prize until then it was always the cup final that was seen as the must win but now its just a midseason comp much in the catagory of the regal trophy at least until the final

A double header in the Midlands could be a winner.
Coventry for example is about equidistant from Lancashire, London and Yorkshire and is easy to get to on the motorway network.
The Ricoh has staged Union with good crowds. It would mean a bit of a publicity push but it might be worth a try.
With a 32000 capacity it could be about right in size too.

A double header in the Midlands could be a winner.Coventry for example is about equidistant from Lancashire, London and Yorkshire and is easy to get to on the motorway network.The Ricoh has staged Union with good crowds. It would mean a bit of a publicity push but it might be worth a try.With a 32000 capacity it could be about right in size too.

A double header in the Midlands could be a winner.Coventry for example is about equidistant from Lancashire, London and Yorkshire and is easy to get to on the motorway network.The Ricoh has staged Union with good crowds. It would mean a bit of a publicity push but it might be worth a try.With a 32000 capacity it could be about right in size too.

The challenge cup is a funny one. It's almost as if the clubs put all their marketing effort into selling season tickets and then the normal rounds of SL, and then don't bother with cup matches or play-offs.

I suspect it has something to do with the cost of promoting these games compared to the cash benefits individual clubs gain from them, as a result of shared/pooled gate money.

I think the best scenario is till neutral venues for the semi depending on who is competing. It's the special day for the clubs involved. They aren't generally matches that will attract lots of neutrals, or matches where fans from match 1 will stop for match 2.